Today’s A Journey through Aesthetic Realms will be presented in Chinese, with subtitles in Arabic, Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese, English, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Persian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

Greetings noble viewers, welcome to A Journey through Aesthetic Realms. Over two and a half millennia ago, the great enlightened Master Lao Tzu was born in a small village in the Chu State, near the present-day Luyi County in Henan Province of China. His timeless teachings are expounded in “Tao Te Ching,” the key scripture of Taoism.

To celebrate this auspicious day in history, let us enjoy a few folk stories of Lao Tzu and excerpts of “Tao Te Ching” to have a glimpse of his wisdom and eloquence.

When he was just a child, Lao Tzu was already distinguished for his sharp mind, deep insights and lofty ideals. He contemplated the rise and fall of countries, the future of the world and ways to reduce the sufferings of the people. To satisfy his endless quest for knowledge, his mother hired a revered teacher named Shang Rong. One day, Shang Rong discussed with young Lao Tzu about Heaven.

Between Heaven and Earth, humans are the most precious; among all humans, kings are the most important.

What is Heaven?

Heaven is the pure one above.

Then what’s the pure one?

The pure one is emptiness.

What’s above emptiness?

Above emptiness is the purer of the pure.

Then what’s above that?

Above the purer of the pure is the purer of the purer of the pure.

What is the purest?

It is not taught by past sages, nor is it recorded in ancient writings. I dare not make groundless comments.

That evening, Lao Tzu could not get the answer from his mother nor from the servant. Staring at the starry sky, he was absorbed into a deep contemplation about the highest Heaven. After being Lao Tzu’s teacher for three years, Shang Rong bade farewell:

I resign today not because I don’t want to carry it through to the end; nor is it because Dan (Lao Tzu) is not diligent. It is because my knowledge is limited, but Dan’s quest is unlimited. The Capital of Zhou has a sea of ancient scriptures and countless talents. That’s the place Dan should go in order to become a man of the biggest potential.

Following Shang Rong’s advice, Lao Tzu’s mother sent him to Zhou State. At the age of 19, Lao Tzu became the head of the royal archive and was known near and far for his scholarship. His realization of the Tao was unfathomable. In another elaboration of the Tao conveyed to Confucius, Lao Tzu said:

Tao is as deep as the ocean, as high as the mountain. It permeates the universe. It circulates endlessly, and resides in all beings. But one cannot attain it by seeking, and cannot describe it by worldly languages. Tao gives birth and nurtures Heaven and Earth yet it doesn’t subside; it supports all creations yet it is inexhaustible. Heaven gets it and becomes vast; Earth gets it and becomes strong; the Sun and the Moon get it and go into motion; the four seasons get it and become orderly; all creations get it and come into existence.

One day in 523 BCE, the great philosopher Confucius paid a special visit to Lao Tzu from Lu State. At the time of his departure, Lao Tzu saw him off from his lodge.

It is said that the rich gifts people with properties; the virtuous offers people their words. I’m not a rich man nor nobility, so I have no property to present to you. I would like to give you a few words of advice.

In today’s world, smart people often get into trouble, or even fatal tragedy, because they like to point out others’ weaknesses. Similarly, eloquent people often invite disasters to themselves because they like to reveal others’ wrongdoings. Try to be people’s son and subject, and don’t put yourself above others. I wish you will remember these words.

I will surely remember these words of advice.

During his tenure as a royal archive keeper, Lao Tzu was not interested in worldly power or profit. He remained in the same position until his retirement. Thereafter, he decided to pursue a recluse’s life. One day, his disciple Yang Ziju came to visit him.

What are you working on these days?

I come here to visit my ancestor’s land, purchase a property, build a house, hire some servants, and establish rules to manage my family.

It’s enough to have a place to sleep and eat, why show off so much?

As a spiritual practitioner, I need a quiet place to sit, travel in a relaxed manner, drink simple and clean water, and sleep in a safe place. Without a single large family house, without servants and equipment, how can I maintain such a lifestyle? If I hire servants and purchase furniture, without rules, how can I manage it?

Hearing Yang Ziju’s explanation, Lao Tzu laughed.

To be close to the Great Tao, one needs to be natural. Inner quietness cannot be achieved by external arrangements. Do without expectation, you will be relaxed; not indulge yourself with worldly pleasure, you will stay clear; sleep without desire, peace will come automatically.

Why do you need a large house to practice? When you feel hungry, you eat; when you feel tired, you rest; when the sun rises, you work; when it sets, you sleep. So why do you need servants at home? If you follow the natural way and don’t have ambition, then your mind is peaceful and your body is healthy; if you do things opposite to nature, and try to manage everything, then your spirit is confused and your body is tired.

I am shallow. Thank you for your teaching.

The entire body of Lao Tzu’s philosophy is recorded in “Tao Te Ching.” In one chapter, the Master discussed his view about life and death.

When one is rooted in the Great Tao, he observes the origin of everything. Life and death, right and wrong, the noble and the poor, glorification and humiliation are all based on people’s value system, which changes instantly. Tracing their origin, they are all the same and indistinguishable. If one knows this Great Tao, he goes along with the change, but is not attached at heart.

A saint staying in this world, if something comes, he doesn’t go against it; when something changes, he doesn’t attach to it. He changes along with things, and lets nature take its own course. Those who can adjust and adapt are people with virtues; those who can comply with the trend are people who have attained the Tao.

Confucius made the following comments upon hearing Lao Tzu’s elaboration:

After hearing it, I felt I were a bird perching on a branch, a fish swimming in rivers and lakes, a bee gathering honey among thickets of flowers, a man seeking the Tao from a great Master.

At age 30, I grew to be independent; at 40, I became clear in my mind; today at 51, I just started to know what the Creator is. if I were created as a bird, I’d function according to the temperament of birds; if I were created as a fish, I’d act according to the qualities of fish; if I were created as a bee, I’d work according to the character of bees; if I were created as a human,

I’d evolve according to the personality of humans. Birds, fish, bees, humans are different, but their adaptations according to their own nature are identical. Following one’s own nature and making adjustments is following the Tao. Our body stays in various forms, our spirit travels in the great Oneness. This is going along with the great Tao. I was seeking the Tao every day, but I didn’t know that Tao is right in front of me!

Supreme Master Ching Hai has often spoken about Lao Tzu and explained the timeless verses of “Tao Te Ching,” which are still applicable for spiritual practitioners today. The following is one such occasion during a 1993 lecture in Hawaii, USA.

“Be at one with the dust of the earth.” It's difficult, difficult, especially when we have position in the society, especially when we are a little enlightened, especially when we know what is what. The more we practice, the more we feel humble. The more we feel very sensitive, very, very sensitive to everything. But then again, you feel you are very insignificant to complain about everything. That is when we are united with Heaven. And then we feel balanced in our life.

Now, “He who has achieved this state is unconcerned with friends and enemies, with good and harm, with honor and disgrace. This, therefore, is the highest state of man.” We feel we are unconcerned with good and bad. Doesn't mean we go out and do bad things, but we just unconcerned, right? Even with honor and disgrace, like somebody blame us, somebody scold us, we don't feel so hurt like we used to do before, right?

You've been one with the Heaven, so you learn the art of balance between Heaven and Earth, so you just stay in between. So nothing can affect you so much. So the highest aim of us is to attain this state of balance, according to Lao Tzu’s “Tao Te Ching.” And try to keep that balance as long as possible by sustaining it, nourishing it, with our daily meditation. That is our spirit. The food for the spirit.

Lao Tzu graced our Earth for 160 years and departed the mundane realm at Lou Guan Tai, now a Taoist temple in Zhongnan Mountain, Zhou Zhi County of Shaanxi Province.

The “Tao Te Ching” is one of the three most influential Chinese philosophical classics which has been widely read for over two millennia. Since the 19th century, the “Tao Te Ching” spread to Europe and was studied by learned personages such as German philosophers Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and Friedrich Nietzsche, as well as Russian author Leo Tolstoy.

British scholar, Joseph Needham, in his famous work “Science and Civilization in China” series, highly praised the Taoism to have the true “scientific” view of the universe. Japanese physicist and Noble Laureate, Hideki Yukawa, said in his book “Creativity and Intuition,” that it is amazing that Lao Tzu foresaw the state of the industrial civilization of the 20th century over 2,500 years prior.

Another famous physicist, Dr. Fritjof Capra from the United States, in his bestseller “Uncommon Wisdom,” praised Taoism to have provided the most profound and perfect ecological intelligence.

May the universal teachings and noble example of Lao Tzu, so respected throughout the ages, be remembered still for many more generations to come.

Enlightened viewers, thank you for your tranquil presence on today’s episode of A Journey through Aesthetic Realms. Vegetarianism: The Noble Way of Living is up next, right after Noteworthy News. May inner peace and clarity be part of your daily life.